''Crisis'' is a 1950 American

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

directed by

Richard Brooks Richard Brooks (born Reuben Sax; May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Nominated for eight Academy Awards in his career, he was best known for ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955), '' ...

(in his directorial debut), and starring

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

José Ferrer José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (January 8, 1912 – January 26, 1992) was a Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television. He was one of the most celebrated and esteemed Hispanic and Latino Americans, Hi ...

, and Paula Raymond. It follows an American couple who inadvertently become embroiled in a revolution. The film was based on the short story titled "The Doubters" by

George Tabori George Tabori ( György Tábori; 24 May 1914 – 23 July 2007) was a Hungarian writer and theatre director. Life and career Tabori was born in Budapest as György Tábori, a son of Kornél (Cornelius) and Elsa Tábori. He was raised as a Catho ...

published in the magazine ''Today's Woman'' (Feb 1950).

Plot

Dr. Eugene Ferguson (

), a renowned American brain surgeon, and his wife Helen ( Paula Raymond) are vacationing in

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

when a revolution breaks out. They are taken against their will to the country's dictator, Raoul Farrago (José Ferrer), who urgently needs a life-saving operation. Over the next few days, while Ferguson trains assistants for the delicate operation, he witnesses various acts of brutality by the regime, especially by Colonel Adragon ( Ramón Novarro), but his Hippocratic Oath compels him to do his best. Roland Gonzales (

Gilbert Roland Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso (December 11, 1905 – May 15, 1994), known professionally as Gilbert Roland, was a Mexican-born American film and television actor whose career spanned seven decades from the 1920s until the 1980s. He was twice no ...

), the rebel leader, kidnaps Helen to pressure her husband into making a fatal surgical "mistake." His message to Ferguson is intercepted by Isabel Farrago (

Signe Hasso Signe Eleonora Cecilia Hasso ( Larsson; 15 August 1915 – 7 June 2002) was a Swedish actress. Early life Hasso was born in the Kungsholmen parish of Stockholm in 1915. Her father and grandfather died when she was four, and her mother, gran ...

), the patient's wife, and the operation is a success. Helen is released unharmed when Farrago dies soon afterwards and his government is overthrown.

Cast

as Dr. Eugene Norland Ferguson *

as Raoul Farrago * Paula Raymond as Helen Ferguson *

as Isabel Farrago *

Ramon Novarro Ramón Gil Samaniego (February 6, 1899 – October 30, 1968), known professionally as Ramon Novarro, was a Mexican actor. He began his career in American silent films in 1917 and eventually became a leading man and one of the top box-offic ...

as Colonel Adragon *

as Roland Gonzales *

Leon Ames Leon Ames (born Harry Leon Wycoff;U.S. Federal Census for 1910 for Fowler, Center Township, Benton County, State of Indiana, access via Ancestry.com January 20, 1902 – October 12, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He is best rem ...

as Sam Proctor

Production

The film was only produced up by

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

after Cary Grant decided he wanted to make it. Grant loved the script and wanted a break from the romantic comedy characters he normally played.

Reception

Reviews were mixed on this film.

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

, film critic for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', wrote that "With such a

penny dreadful Penny dreadfuls were cheap popular Serial (literature), serial literature produced during the 19th century in the United Kingdom. The pejorative term is roughly interchangeable with penny horrible, penny awful, and penny blood. The term typical ...

story, it is remarkable that Mr. Brooks has been able to get any substance of even passing consequences on the screen. But some of his film is quite amusing and the two main performances are good. ... However, the task of surmounting the story completely and in full is beyond Mr. Brooks and his barely adequate supporting cast." The ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' review noted, "the script rom a story by George Taboriand direction by Richard Brooks lets it get up on the soapbox too frequently." Time Out, however, had the opposite reaction to Crowther, thinking that Brooks was "adept at maintaining the tension", while of the opinion that Grant looked "as though he'd rather be holding a dry martini than a scalpel." According to MGM records the film earned $891,000 domestically and $512,000 foreign, resulting in a loss to the studio of $72,000.

References

External links

* * 1950 films 1950s American films 1950 crime drama films 1950 directorial debut films 1950s English-language films American black-and-white films American crime drama films English-language crime drama films Films about kidnapping Films based on short fiction Films directed by Richard Brooks Films produced by Arthur Freed Films scored by Miklós Rózsa Films with screenplays by Richard Brooks Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films {{1950s-US-drama-film-stub